My New Favorite Show: “Make It Or Break It”

Why is no one obsessing about the new gymnastics show “Make It Or Break It”? It’s on ABC Family and is technically for teens, but even though there’s a cheesy family moment at the end of every episode, this show is totally awesome! ABC Family has generally oscillated between amazing shows (see: “Greek”) and craptastic ones (see: “The Secret Life of the American Teenager”), and for the summer of 2009, “Make It Or Break It” is the stupendous to the hard-core sucking of “10 Things I Hate About You.” In just five episodes, a lot has happened. But no worries. Let me fill you in on why you should be clearing your schedule on Mondays at 9 p.m. Or at least making space on your DVR.“Make It Or Break It” is about four teenage girls who train at the Rock, a top gymnastics facility in Colorado, and who have their hearts set on competing at the Olympics. There’s Lauren, the skank who lost her virginity to her best friend’s boyfriend after the couple had a fight. There’s Kaylie, the virgin who wants her first time to be with the boyfriend who cheated on her. There’s Emily, the girl who’s never been kissed, but has two hotties chasing after her. And there’s Payson, the girl who’s so focused on gymnastics that the only way she’ll get with a guy is if her gorgeous coach tells her to have sexy times with him as part of training. And I have a feeling that might just happen! It’s. Amazing.

The first reason this show rules: Because watching gymnastics is fun. And second, because like any good teen drama, the girl’s lives are all about boys. Another major selling point is the fact that none of the four stars look anorexic. Instead, they actually look like gymnasts, with muscular thighs and meat on their bones.

Since this is a family show, the parents play hefty supporting roles. There’s the ditzy single mom who can’t afford to send her kid to the Rock; the mom who used to be in an ’80s pop group and is now married to the Rock’s owner; the average stay-at-home mom; and the wealthy dad who is paying his daughter’s way to Nationals while also dating his hot secretary. And that secretary just happens to be played by Candace Cameron, aka D.J. Tanner from “Full House!” She’s grown up to be super gorgeous and every time she’s on the screen all I can think is: I hope I age as gracefully and my waste line shrinks that much after having three kids. On the show, just like in real life, Candace is an über-Christian, which I guess makes sense since ABC Family started as a televangelican station.

So basically, it’s time to start watching this show. Now that “The Bachelorette” is almost over and “Jon & Kate Plus 8” has gone way downhill, you should be squeezing this sucker into your Monday night agenda. It won’t disappoint.